Most scholars agree that Psalms 1–2 serve as a dual introduction to the Psalter. "Set to the Gittith." The psalmist understood from Genesis 1:26–28 that God gave mankind the authority to rule over the created world. who hast set thy glory above the heavens. “On an instrument of Gath ” (Hebrew: gittit). 1 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! Julian Duckworth . To be overcome by behemoth or leviathan might make thee angry; but to be smitten out of infants' mouths causes thee to bite the dust in utter dishonor. Psalm 8:3-4a. According the the KJV Psalm 8:9 says: “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” This can confuse many because the translators of the KJV removed the personal name of the true God, Jehovah. Read Psalm 8 in Light of the Big Picture of the Psalter. The simple, childlike trust that a little one shows in the existence and goodness of God is one of the sweetest things that can be seen in this world. --KJV Psalm 8:6 . "Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands. A messianic psalm of David—He says that babes and children praise the Lord—He asks, What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? "THE BOOK OF PSALMS" Psalm 8 - The Song Of The Astronomer OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS PSALM 1) To consider a beautiful example of a hymn of praise 2) To observe the use and possible meaning of the word "Gittith" 3) To note man's dominion over the earth when created by God, but also that he lost it and has now been regained by Jesus Christ SUMMARY The heading attributes this psalm to … Heb. LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! O Lord - How majestic is your name in all the earth. The Psalm starts with praise and rightfully so! He has now demonstrated what he expressed in Psalm 8:2, that the name of Jahve whose glory is reflected by the heavens, is also glorious on earth. Psalm 8 # In Hebrew texts 8:1-9 is numbered 8:2-10. ... Psalm 2:8(NASB) Verse Thoughts. You have set your glory above the heavens.' (Heb. Only three Psalms have this instruction in the superscription, namely, this one, Psalms 81 and Psalms 82. To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. This whole of Psalm 2 looks forward to the day when the Lord Jesus will be crowned as King of the whole earth and will set up His millennial reign over the nations. "Aha! Exploring the Meaning of Psalms 8 By Rev. This appears to be why the writer of Hebrews gives the 8th Psalm a messianic application (cf. It means that even young children will praise Him, telling of His strength and glory. Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels — Such was man as he came out of the hands of his Maker, in his primeval state. 2:6-8). Psalm 8:6 continues, “You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet” (ESV). Not only do neighboring psalms cast light on how to interpret Psalm 8, but the larger arrangement of the Psalter can guide our reading too. For the director of music. This psalm is a solemn meditation on, and admiration of, the glory and greatness of God, of which we are all concerned to think highly and honourably. ESV - 6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet. The primary purpose of the psalm is to teach moral lessons about God. It is divided into three parts: … Continue reading "Commentary on Psalm 85:8-13" Both mean small children but the first denotes those who are somewhat the older of the two. psalm definition: 1. a holy poem or song, especially one of the 150 collected together in the Bible 2. a holy poem or…. Its theme highlights God’s constant care for His people. Footnotes: Psalm 8:4 Or what is a human being that you are mindful of him, / a son of man that you care for him? They prayed for joy, joy that can come from God’s presence in the midst of the community. In this Jesus also identified the indignant scribes and teachers as the enemy and avenger described in this Psalm. Psalm 8:3-4 New International Version (NIV) 3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? PSALM 8 * Divine Majesty and Human Dignity. you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, 3 Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. What Does Psalm 2:8 Mean? The Hebrew for "man" in this verse is actually the term enos, subtly different from the term ā'dām typically used to refer to mankind. Children often recognize what highly intelligent adults may miss. The quotation Jesus made is in Psalm 8:2, and in both places the words babes and suck-lings have about the same meaning. He has assigned us the role of ruling over His creation. Psalm 8:5. Psalm 8 explores the theme of God’s majestic splendor and our puny insignificance by way of comparison. This is lesson 8 of 33 in a series of lessons called “Praise God Through the Psalms.” Lesson focus: Through the book of Psalms and the worship of the people of Israel, we get a glimpse into the character of God and how we should rightly respond to Him in worship.In Psalm 8 we are reminded that God is the Creator of the universe and His majestic rule over all. In the psalms, the word is used often to mean the temple music leader or choir director. 1 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! * You have established a bulwark * against your foes, to silence enemy and avenger. A psalm of David. [1] Dummelow gave the meaning as, "perhaps an instrument or a tune, of Gath." Hebrews 2:6-8 quotes Psalm 8 to contrast man’s failure with his exalted destiny. Psalms 8:6. 3 with the mouths of babes a and infants. Those words are a part of a messianic prophecy written by David which started it’s prophetic fulfillment during the time Jesus lived as a man on earth. The word majestic suggests power, splendour and magnificence. O LORD; OUR LORD; HOW EXCELLENT IS THY NAME! The stars were brilliant, and the moon, in its full phase, was crossing the heavens. And yet at the same time, God has created us in His image and graciously crowned us with glory and majesty. So Jesus has shown us clearly the meaning of Psalm 8:2. Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, is the last Adam (1 Cor 15:45); all things will be subjected to Him when He comes to fulfill the Father’s intended plans for the Creation. 1 For the leader; “upon the gittith.” * A psalm of David. # Title: Probably a musical term A psalm of David. Answer: Psalm 34 is an acrostic poem; in this case, each line of verse begins with a different Hebrew letter, arranged in alphabetical order. Thou has put all things under his feet." Learn more. God is to be glorified, for making known himself to us. Enemies of God often use their intelligence to attack God or mislead people with false teachings. The air at that time and place was not darkened with smog or polluted with the irritants that fill the atmosphere today. What does Psalm 8:6 mean in context? The word Gath is a mistranslation. The Book of Psalms (/ s ɑː m z / or / s ɔː (l) m z / SAW(L)MZ; Hebrew: תְּהִלִּים ‎, Tehillim, "praises"), commonly referred to simply as Psalms, the Psalter or "the Psalms", is the first book of the Ketuvim ("Writings"), the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. Step #8: Examine how the psalm is used in the New Testament to see if there is a greater New Covenant/Messianic meaning In many cases, the New Testament writers quoted the Psalms and demonstrated that while the psalm had a meaning in the original historical context, God had a greater meaning behind the psalm that was not understood until the revelation of Jesus Christ. What is the meaning of Psalm 8:9? James Montgomery Boice points out that since these titles are in the canonical text of the Hebrew Bible, “They are to be taken with absolute seriousness throughout.” The events are recorded in 2 Samuel 15-18, but the heart of David at that difficult time is recorded in this psalm. I will sing of your majesty above the heavens. (3-9) 1,2 The psalmist seeks to give unto God the glory due to his name. Whereas children may humbly trust in Him with simple faith. This is the first psalm with a title: A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son. iii. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. Perhaps it was while David was attending sheep on a clear night with the stars brightly shining that he picked up his Gittith, a stringed instrument in the shape of a wine press, and began to strum and chant these amazing words of the Psalm … Psalms 8:1 'O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. in the heavens. Aha! Chapter 8. Verse 1. Psalm 8:1-9 God's Glory Perfectly Revealed in the Son of Man . He is the triumphant Messiah of Israel. (Psalm 78:1-8) Psalm 78:1-8 Listen, O my people, to my instruction; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. Rather, the Holy Spirit, who inspired both writers, saw a partial application to man, and then an ultimate fulfillment in the Son of man. The psalm is a prayer in the midst of crisis for the ancient faith community. All of these thoughts should lead us, as the psalm both begins and ends (Ps. According to gittith. (1,2) And for making even the heavenly bodies useful to man, thereby placing him but little lower than the angels. Psalm 8 - NIV: LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. You have set your glory. We do not believe, as some allege, that the author took the original reference out of context and gave it a meaning alien to its intended design. Psalm 8. What does Psalm 8:4 mean? The title “son of man” could refer to Adam as the head of the human race. How majestic is that name! How bright this glory shines even in this lower world! An interpretation of Psalm 85:8-13 needs first to find a context in the whole of Psalm 85. And it’s no wonder. Jesus has regained the dominion for us and will one day share it with us when He reigns in His kingdom. Commentary for Psalms 8 . Imagine the scene. Thus, then, he can as a conclusion repeat the thought with which he began, in a wider and more comprehensive meaning, and weave his Psalm together, as it were, into a wreath. (The above are Psalm 23:1, Psalm 8:2 and Psalm 137:1 as translated in the King James Version.) According to gittith. Psalm 8 - For the director of music. On that day He will rule the nations with a rod of iron, as God has promised, for Christ is the Lord's Anointed. O adversary! It begins and ends with the same acknowledgment of the transcendent excellency of God’s name. [⇑ See verse text ⇑] When David scanned the night sky, he felt insignificant and wondered why such a magnificent Creator would care about man. (FOR THE CHIEF MUSICIAN; SET TO THE GITTITH.A PSALM OF DAVID). 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